In the '70s Cornell left Studio One and started an immensely profitable alliance with Bunny Lee. Hit after hit soon followed, and such was the dominance of the pair that Cornell was sooned nicknamed the Gorgon.
Towards the end of the '80s and in the '90s Cornell was less prolific, but still carried on producing singles, such as "Hell In A Yard" for King Tubby's Firehouse label (with the Jays). Towards the end of the 80s he took a few years off to concentrate on his family's farm, though he recorded sporadically.
Today, after 50 years in music, he still finds time to get into the studio and play the occasional gig. Recent tunes include the haunting "King In My Empire" with german dubmeisters Rhythm & Sound and a couple of tracks with Dub Syndicate.
For a longer biography, see http://www.reggae-vibes.com/concert/ccampbell/ccampbell.htm
Redemption Song
Cornell Campbell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the 'and of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
Some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfil de book.
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfil de book.
Won't you help to sing
Dese songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs -
All I ever had:
Redemption songs:
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.
The lyrics of Cornell Campbell's Redemption Song speak to the struggles and hardships faced by Africans who were forcibly taken from their homes as slaves and sent to work in foreign lands. The opening lines of the song, "Old pirates, yes, they rob I; Sold I to the merchant ships, Minutes after they took I From the bottomless pit" recall the brutality and inhumanity of the transatlantic slave trade. The "merchant ships" referred to in the lyrics represent the slave ships that transported Africans across the ocean to work as slaves in the Americas.
Despite the horrors of slavery, the lyrics also speak of hope and the strength to overcome adversity. The line "But my hand was made strong By the 'and of the Almighty" suggests that a higher power has helped the singer to endure and persevere. The sentiment is echoed later in the song when the lyrics urge listeners to "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; None but ourselves can free our minds."
The song's lyrics emphasize the need for Africans to take control of their own destinies and not rely on others for liberation. The idea that "none but ourselves can free our minds" is a call to arms for black people to take ownership of their own struggle for freedom and not wait for others to come to their aid. Throughout the song, the lyrics emphasize the idea of redemption through songs of freedom, reminding listeners that even in their darkest moments, they can find solace in music.
Line by Line Meaning
Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
In the past, pirates robbed and stole from me.
Sold I to the merchant ships,
I was sold to the merchant ships by the pirates.
Minutes after they took I
Immediately after being taken by the pirates, I was sold to the merchant ships.
From the bottomless pit.
The pirates and merchant ships dragged me out of a miserable place.
But my hand was made strong
With the help of the Almighty, I became stronger.
By the 'and of the Almighty.
I gained my strength through the grace of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Moving forward in this current time, we strive to make progress.
Triumphantly.
We are determined to succeed in a grand way.
Won't you help to sing
Please join me in singing.
These songs of freedom?
Let us sing songs about freedom.
'Cause all I ever have:
Because all I have is:
Redemption songs;
Songs about redemption;
Redemption songs.
Songs about redemption.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
Free yourselves from mental enslavement.
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Only we can break free from our mental chains.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
Do not worry about atomic energy.
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
Because no one has the power to stop time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
How long will they continue to kill our leaders and visionaries,
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
While we do nothing and watch?
Some say it's just a part of it:
Some believe it's inevitable;
We've got to fulfil de book.
We must fulfill our purpose.
Dese songs of freedom?
These songs about freedom?
All I ever had:
All I ever had was:
Redemption songs -
Songs about redemption -
All I ever had:
All I ever had was:
Redemption songs:
Songs about redemption:
These songs of freedom,
Songs about freedom,
Songs of freedom.
Songs about freedom.
Writer(s): Marley Bob
Contributed by Jason W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.